Language of Flowers
by Kitty-on-CRACK
Summary: SLOW BURN Luna is 24 and Neville, aka Nettie is 25, so 8 years after the battle. I kept Luna's name Luna because I feel like if Luna had been male, the Lovegoods wouldn't have cared so much about the name. Neville is now Annette, or Nettie, due to pureblood (aka almost royal-like) propriety.


**A/N: For those of you who follow my other stories I apologize for the lack of updating, I just haven't been in the mood to write lately until a friend encouraged me to start up again, so I went through my notes and found this idea I had forever and a day ago in my notebook I was determined to write it. I am using this to try and get back into the swing of writing and hopefully I will update a chapter of Braved Journey or Prongslet's Den soon.**

 **I'm setting this when Luna is 24 and Neville, aka Nettie is 25, so 8 years after the battle. I kept Luna's name Luna because I feel like if Luna had been male, the Lovegoods wouldn't have cared so much about the name (aka hippie vibes from my own experience of my masculine name. Yes, Lonnie is masculine while Loni is feminine, lol) and that though Luna is him could also be them and generally not care and love his name. Neville is now Annette, or Nettie, due to pureblood (aka almost royal-like) propriety and I really can't imagine Augusta Longbottom allowing her granddaughter to have such a masculine name. They are the only two genderbent characters in this story, everyone else is as is in the series.**

 **MARBLES= Magical Animal Right of Being, Liberty, Eden and Safety**

 **Chapter 1: Projects**

Luna Lovegood huffed, blowing a strand of silver blonde hair out of his eyes; his garden was not going well. His mother always had a green thumb but once she passed…well, it was everything was brown and sad. Excellent for attracting flies of all sorts but not necessarily magical ones, or magical creatures for that matter. He wanted a haven for creatures being hunted and for creatures that just needed a peaceful place away from the magicals who would steal potions ingredients to sell rather than ask and receive from the creatures themselves.

Luna sighed as he picked up his gardening tools, he always tried to be optimistic but he knew he couldn't get it done, not without help; a _lot_ of help actually, with how black his thumb was. He sat down and pondered, _The Quibbler_ was doing well still, thanks to being the only paper that supported Harry when the world doubted him, so he was able to purchase a bit of land that attached to his family property from old Mrs. Conner, muggle wife of a squib that had inherited the property. Her only condition was to let her see and feed the jabberknolls. So he had kilometers upon kilometers to plant new flora and fauna on the property his family had for generations and now a forested area to add to that for more shy creatures or those who preferred the shade, such as threstrals and clabberts. He still had a bit of money that had been set aside for the purchase but Mrs. Conner's had refused to sell it at such a high rate when it was to be turned into a sanctuary or Eden for fantastic creatures. Since she still had it set aside she could hire someone to do the landscaping and maintain it but who?

Nettie Longbottom was apprenticing at Hogwarts under Professor Sprout and would be best with her passion and knowledge of horticulture but with how busy apprentices where she probably wouldn't have any time to spare but she would most likely know who would be best for the job after her.

Luna sighed; he hadn't been back to Hogwarts since graduation, and then the fifth anniversary of the battle. He hadn't even seen Nettie in almost four months other than in passing at Ginny's birthday in early August and while October wasn't an optimal time to plant, he had been hoping at least those in the small aviary shrubs and the fauna in the attached greenhouse he had built would survive but alas his black thumb hadn't given the poor plants a chance.

He perked up quickly though, Nettie had always been dear to him, one of the few to refuse to abandon him due to his…peculiarities, as he discovered having by overhearing the entirety of the Hogwarts students whisper behind him, or the few who would say to his face.

Nettie, Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Ron and now the rest of the Weasley's besides Percy maybe fully accepted him and his ways. They were his family through and through. He was aware he had quirks to the rest of the world but it was his way of life… it had been his mother's way of life. Barefoot explorations since he was a toddler able to walk and the curious nature both of his mother's spellcrafting and his father's love for creatures and the unknown had shaped him into what he was, which is why he had wanted to create and maybe even eventually open Pandora's Sanctuary to the public… to help those understand the fascination.

He sat at his desk, ready to pen a letter to Nettie before realizing the lilac parchment was stained from the dirt on his hands. He shortly debated whether or not to wash up but quickly waived that thought away. Nettie was in the dirt all day and maybe he should include some so she or whoever she recommended could study the nutrients in the soil.

 _Dearest Nettie,_

 _How are you? I know it's been too long since my last letter and I do wish to catch up soon but I dearly need your advice. I'm sure you remember the sanctuary I wish to create? I have finally closed on the land adjourning my families and have been working on it for the past three weeks. I am having a bit of trouble. You've always been excellent at Herbology and horticulture and I am rather lacking in those areas, everything I have planted is slowly becoming fertilizer, which while good to attract insects, and by extension Imps, I would like to attract all sorts of creatures and while I have a list of plants they need I do not have the skill to grow and make them thrive._

 _I know you are busy with learning various plants aversion and cataclysmic reactions when put together in potions to better aid future students and customers but if you or anyone you know would like to come, look and take on a landscaping and maintenance for my property I will gladly pay. Will you allow me to come and visit you at Hogsmeade the next weekend you're available, or Hogwarts to discuss what I have planned and what you or any acquaintance may deem better? Please let me know if so and when._

 _With Love_

 _-Luna_

After reading through the letter, Luna frowned, brows furrowed, as he added to the letter a post script:

 _PS-Hubblesnorts seem to be more active of late, you may want to keep peanut butter on you to appease any you may meet._

He reread the letter and smiled, before calling for Járn, a stunning grey northern-faced owl he had nursed back to health after finding abandoned by her mother as a hatchling. It was a rather masculine name, meaning iron, but it was fitting for the little survivor.

He gave Járn a bit of venison to eat as he attached the letter, charming it so only Nettie could touch it. It was something that had stuck to him from the war, besides always being sure to have a bit of sturdy muggle wire for his bottle cap necklace that would be quite useful if he was without his wand. Watching as Járn disappeared into the distance, he smiled as he enjoyed the breeze, indulging in his chocolate pudding and the last rays of the sun.

* * *

Nettie sat back in her chair, tiredly rubbing her eyes. Last month Professor Sprout had let her know she needed to start a project and have it completed by the 1st of August the next year to prove her Herbology skills and that she could actually create a stable ecosystem, on top of assisting Professor Sprout in classes during the week for at least five hours, so two classes a day during the school year, and during the breaks assisting Hagrid with maintaining the grounds.

She couldn't use an existing space of a minimum 10 acres and had to eventually have it at such a point that a variety both magical and muggle plants of twenty seven different species of flora, five different grasses, seven different tree species, and a minimum of 10 different herbs- which really was a lie and they looked for at least 20-were on the property and happy. On top of that, irrigation, a body of fresh water, and a way to prevent invasive species from dominating. That meant boundary and containment spells that wouldn't affect anything but the plant life itself, while still allowing it to grow and spread in its designated area and not have its roots become stagnate in early growth.

What a pain. It would be great to do but Nettie had to hunt for the space, buy additional land herself, or go through the board of directors for approving Hogwarts to have a new garden and ensure the fact that the plants would not harm the kids, although somehow the Whomping Willow was still in place. she wasn't having any luck finding any plots around her house and the orchard she had found and wanted to work on the most had a very cantankerous old muggle man who first, she would have to charm to avoid the majority of the plants since they'd be magical, was not willing to put any money towards improving his space, nor would he take "some random girls charity and pity."

She had until January 11th left to find a viable location before she would have to wait for the following year to start her project. While it was true she'd then have more time to find and secure a lot, Nettie wanted to get started as soon as possible to earn her Master status.

She slumped back in her desk chair sighing as she contemplated what to do when there was a tap on her window. Startling she shot up and turned only to find Járn's yellow eyes watching her in amusement. She crossed to the window and opened it, allowing the little owl to fly inside and playfully fly around her before landing on Persephone's perch. Persephone was currently out hunting and thankfully Trevor, who Járn liked to follow and peck around to scare, was in the greenhouses.

After giving Járn a bit of chicken left over from dinner and pointing her to Persephone's water and food she took Luna's note and eagerly started reading. Sweet Luna always remembered details from their conversations that no one else seemed to, or were not interested to bring up again. As she continued reading her heart nearly stopped, by Merlin Luna had the most _perfect_ timing!

She rushed as she grabbed a piece of parchment to respond, the pale blue Luna had sent her last Christmas was almost gone and she took a small piece before penning out her response.

 _Luna the Magnificent!_

 _You, my dear sir, have the most perfect timing a girl could wish for._

 _While I am still working on improving my knowledge of potions I actually have a project for my mastery I must complete and your sanctuary is the perfect project to join with mine. Meet me at the Three Broomsticks at 10am for breakfast Saturday, the sooner we meet the better._

 _We can hash out the details and catch up then!_

 _With Love,_

 _Nettie_

* * *

Luna wandered around Hogsmead with a sugar quill hanging out of his mouth. He had forgotten how nice it was, and with WWW having bought out Zonko's, the already bright atmosphere of the town became even brighter, especially without the ever looming threat of war. All the buildings that had been forced to ruins by the war had been restored to their original glory the only true reminder was a simple black granite Tuscan column polished to a high finish with the names of the fallen spiraling around it. It was reminiscent of the Vietnam memorial wall Luna had seen in Washington DC while looking for a runaway rare lavender doxie. Hermione had been the one to suggest it after Harry refused there to be a statue of him, claiming that since they wanted to honor the memory of the war they should honor those lost. True, there was the memorial at Hogwarts and Dumbledore's tomb, but Harry had wanted something the public could see.

Luna smiled sadly at the names of his fallen classmates before laying a stone with his left hand on ground next to the column; something he had learned from his mother. It would be more traditional to leave at a grave but some of the bodies were destroyed by the curses they were hit with, making burial futile.

After paying his respects he continued on to the Three Broomsticks, weaving through the students who had gotten to the town rather early that weekend, welcoming the familiar smells of Madame Rosemerta's delicious cooking and specially brewed butterbeer when he saw Nettie, sitting in one of her sweaters that had a slight dirt stain on the elbows and cuffs as most of her things did. She smiled eagerly when she saw him and waved him over.

"How is the future Herbology Master of the Magical Collection Gardens of Cornwall?" Luna asked, remembering Nettie's look of awe when they had gone through the number one magical garden in Europe two years earlier for her Birthday, she had been multiple times before but every time Nettie had a vibrating energy about her.

"I'm doing fantastic! How's the very prominent Editor and Chief of the Quibbler and Vice President of MARBLES?"

Luna grinned as he hugged her, "Wonderfully, as Grandmamma Alice would say 'Mad in the best of ways.' So how's Hogwarts this year?"

Nettie relaxed back into her seat as she adamantly started talking about how much better the houses have been interacting as of late due to how tense everyone had been the years directly after the war had simply made the houses ignore each other to avoid conflict until recently with a lot of the student's being young enough when the war happened to not remember the terror and how a second year Slytherin was protected from his own mistake in Herbology of failing to put on his earmuffs before handling mandrakes by a quick thinking fifth year Gryffindor who was doing an independent study and quickly sent a _facere_ _surdi_ to temporarily deafen the student until Madam Pompfrey could see him later.

Since the incident classmates in different houses had started warming up to each other and a new mandatory interhouse seating chart was being gradually introduced and tensions between traditionally dark families and light families were at an all time low. Such a thing during Luna and Nettie's time would have resulted in many a hex being thrown between deskmates so it was warming to hear of the progress being made.

In turn Luna, who hadn't had much actual human interaction with anyone besides his neighbor Mrs Conner, his writers for the Quibbler, and the occasional trip to the grocers, divulged the fact he was slowly learning to cook new dishes thanks to Mrs. Conner needing help originally getting a casserole dish down while she was in a wheelchair after a particularly bad fall that had injured her hip. He had learned to make Herring Pie, insisting he stay and help the woman once he realized how heavy the dish would be. Now he was slowly learning recipes from multiple cookbooks, including one by a muggle named Julia Child who wanted to share French cooking with the world. Cherry Clafoutis had so far been his favorite dish to learn and spending one or two nights a week with Mrs. Conner gave him the quality time he needed when his mind was being too loud and he couldn't paint, plus the chocolate chip biscuits Mrs Conner made were practically magic in and of themselves, making him feel much lighter at the end of a day without progress to the sanctuary, which brought him back to why he pulled Luna away from her hectic schedule.

"I've tried, I really have but I was not meant to grow plants Nettie, a day or two after I transplant them from their pots they die. The longest lasting plant I had was a Hollyhock and that lasted a mere week."

Nettie smiled sympathetically at Luna while internally wincing at how many plants must have died. Luna, who was so used to being on his own after his mother passed with his father busy running the Quibbler and being ostracized at school for so long made him quite independent and unknowingly stubbornly so though not in a proud manner. He was simply used to doing everything on his own for so long and dealing with any negatives thrown his way with a light and composed approach Nettie was thrilled he actually would ask for help, especially on her most loved subject, this way she could share her passion with him. She knew Harry, Ginny and them all listened to be nice but whenever she talked to Luna not only did he listen but he retained the information she shared, and that made their friendship all the more meaningful. If she was honest with herself Luna was absolutely her best friend with Ginny being a close second.

"We may have to test the soil and see what nutrients it has to best determine our next course of action then. If the soil isn't rich it may just need a few fertilizers and tonics spread about it first, and while it nurtures the earth we can plot out the space, especially since you wanted it to cater to so many different creatures, I'm sure you have a list of the types of environments needed."

Luna nodded eagerly, excitedly ducking under the table and into his satchel, pulling out the book she swore by for her information _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ with many colorful tabs sticking out of the well loved book as well several pieces of parchment covered in scrawls of Luna's handwriting, many sections starting off pristine and turning into a tornado and flurry of words with sketches of creatures and plants littered throughout, as well as diagrams of what parts of the plants were edible to some and poisonous to others. He had really done his homework, Ravenclaws with their passions were near an unstoppable wealth of information.

She went through each diagram with him, both ignoring the clock and slowing eating away at their meals until a throat clearing made them look up. The pub was empty save a straggler or two who obviously needed to sober up a bit before leaving and Madame Rosemerta was eyeing them, "As much as I love having two of Hogwarts' greatest heroes in my pub I must insist on closing as it is well after three and some of us need their sleep."

Nettie sheepishly ducked her head and apologized digging into her pocket until she realized Luna had put more than enough money down on the table to pay for their meal as he apologized with a serene smile.

They headed out of the pub, bundled up and with slight warming charms cast, "I'm sorry to keep you out so late," Luna said as he finished casting the charms on Nettie's sweater.

"Oh don't worry, it was fun to catch up and I'm excited for the project, plus you saved my career. This final project is all that's needed for my masters level and I'm excited to be able to work and help MARBLES reach it's full potential as a sanctuary. This way my work does some good in the world besides just looking pretty and providing potion supplies."

Luna smiled, "I hope it can soon be a haven for all animals who are in need of one. When will you be able to come by?"

Nettie tilted her head thoughtfully as they continued their walk to the castle grounds, "Tomorrow I unfortunately have to finish grading exams. Tuesday I have a half day of lessons and will be free to come by then since I don't believe Hagrid will need my assistance since he and Madame Maxime usually spend the day together. The sooner the better so I can help the soil heal and check the protective charms you've cast."

Luna nodded with a happy hum and they continued in comfortable silence lulled by the faint waves of the lake until they reached the gate to the grounds. "You have a good night Nettie, see you Tuesday"

"Goodnight Luna, be safe getting home."

Luna merely grinned at Nettie till she crossed over the gateway and turned with a startle when she heard a pop. She always, _always_ forgot about disapparition, preferring traveling through the floo herself due to her history of splinching. She'd have to talk to McGonagall about setting up a floo in her private chambers to be able to see Luna and work on the project whenever she liked, but that was a job for the Nettie of tomorrow… or later that day. For now a warm cuppa and sleep were what she needed.


End file.
